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Grandeur of the Seas - Western Caribbean

Sail Date:
April 2007

Destination:
Western Caribbean

Embarkation:
New Orleans

My husband and I booked this cruise to celebrate our 10th anniversary, and the Grandeur of the Seas did not disappoint! We spent two nights in New Orleans prior to the cruise and took in the Jazz Fest on Friday. What a great way to kick off our vacation! On Saturday, a short taxi ride from the Drury Inn & Suites brought us to the port, and check-in was swift; we were in our cabin before 2 p.m.! A friendly greeting from our Cabin Steward, Marvlo, set the tone for a great week. In fact, each and every staff person we met throughout the cruise was warm and welcoming. We particularly clicked with our dinner staff: Motie (our waiter), Eslyn (our assistant waiter), and Teddy (our bar server). They, along with our delightful tablemates, made our dining experience most pleasant. The food in the Great Gatsby dining room was very good. We enjoyed the variety of offerings. For example, I was always able to find a healthy and tasty vegetarian option. And on our anniversary, the staff treated More
us to a dessert and song, and our tablemates made it extra special by buying a round of yummy shots of Baileys. Breakfast in the Windjammer was filling and delicious: lots of fresh fruit, cereals, baked goods, eggs, bacon, omelets made to order, and more.

The ship is easy to navigate, and the public rooms are sparkling and pretty. We took in the art auctions, wrote postcards in the library, swam in the Solarium, spent a little time in the casino, and enjoyed entering and leaving the ports of call. Our oceanview stateroom was spacious, comfortable, clean, and convenient. We slept well! The entertainment was most enjoyable all week. The entertainers worked hard to keep us coming back for more. Mosaic is not to be missed; they were truly exceptional! We also enjoyed the two production shows by the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers, as well as the Beatles cover band, the gymnast/juggler, and the illusionist. We chose to hire taxi drivers to show us around Cozumel and Aruba. In Cozumel, we toured Mayan ruins and hung out at a "rasta bar" on the eastern side of the island. In Aruba, we went to Casibari rock, the ruins of a gold mine, and the California Lighthouse, seeing beautiful birds and iguanas along the way. In Grand Cayman, we simply ambled about and enjoyed the relaxed ambience of Georgetown.

The captain had recommended rising early to witness the ship’s entry into San Juan on Saturday morning, so I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. and was on Deck 10 by 5:00 a.m. Being on the ship and passing El Morro at the crack of dawn really was one of the highlights of the cruise!

Disembarkation was a bit slow for us, as we were not flying home on Saturday, but we found a great seat on the deck to watch the comings and goings in the Port of San Juan. Two more nights at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan rounded out our vacation, where we hired a driver to point out the highlights of Old San Juan and even took in the AARP Convention. We heartily recommend the Grandeur of the Seas for a relaxing, enjoyable cruise vacation! Less